


umbrella

by brii



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Domestic, Library AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-21
Updated: 2015-02-20
Packaged: 2018-03-14 08:08:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3403172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brii/pseuds/brii
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>something happy and probably a little ooc. might make more of this if it gets enough attention?? who knows??</p>
            </blockquote>





	umbrella

For the third time that day, Kurapika watched with disinterest as the stickly customer dropped his pile of textbooks with a loud thump on the library counter. He placed his hands on his waist and jabbed his elbows backwards--like he was an _old man_ or something, even though his posture was perfectly fine for his staggering height. He leaned on one leg, and asked, with the same, sweetly polite tone, "Do you know where I could find books about cardiology and the cardiovascular system?"

Kurapika hardly bat an eye. "Still in the medical section, sir. Try looking on the second shelf."

"Thank you _very_ much," the man said warmly, and left his books on the counter as he walked away, "It's okay if I just leave those there, right? There's hardly anyone in here."

Kurapika knew it wasn't a coincidence either. "Of course."

Kurapika realized when people were hitting on him, but it had never been this hilariously obvious before. The customer came in every other day, looking for medical books or strange indie books Kurapika had never seen in the library before. It was an interesting process. First, the customer learned Kurapika's shift patterns. He remembered seeing the man walk out of the library, disappointed just as Kurapika walked in for his shift. Next, he told Kurapika his name, but only once (Reirio, Leroy, something like that). Then, instead of trying to flirt with him every time he came in, he only did it sporadically, as if Kurapika would never catch on.

However, he wasn't all talk. It seemed that he was actually a medical student, and despite the suit, Kurapika could tell it was cheap and starchy. He borrowed several books at a time and turned them in the exact day they were due. Sometimes he checked out books several times because he wasn't done reading them. He told Kurapika he had to learn _everything_ about medicine. He wanted to become a rich doctor and own it all, he said with a puffed out chest one day. Kurapika scoffed and checked out his books, and didn't say another word.

However, today was not one of those days for the man to be studying all day. He was playing the obvious "cool" act until he left, and Kurapika swore he saw him wink, but tried not to look at him when he left.

It wasn't terrible or burdening that the man was hitting on him. A tad creepy, considering how old he looked (Kurapika assumed he was in his late thirties). But he was never direct or threatening. He read body language particularly well, and surprisingly never asked Kurapika anything more personal than his name.

\---

Working part-time shift in a city library did not have any perks, whatsoever.

However, the city was a fast way to get a cheap job and save the money for the future. Kurapika planned to move out of his apartment in a couple of years, move to some place cleaner and find a steady job. The city was loud and filthy, filled with dishonest people. It wasn't unbearable, just-- _unpleasant._

Kurapika especially hated the rain. The dirty rain that caught him off guard and sent him quickly pacing to the nearest bus stop. He had to take several buses to get home, but overall it was less expensive than a taxi. Unfortunately, his weather judgement was so undeveloped he had forgotten his umbrella. He watched dozens of people on the street bloom their umbrellas clumsily out of sync while he got drenched. Kurapika was beginning to getting used to the pain patter on his face when he felt a light tap on his shoulder.

"Hey, uh, do you need an umbrella?" the voice behind him sounded distinctly familiar.

Kurapika twitched his head in surprise to the direction of the speaker. Perfectly dry under a navy blue umbrella, comically the same shade of his suit, was the admirer from the library. Kurapika blinked several times before fully turning around and responding. "Are you headed to the nearest bus stop?"

"Yep," he answered with perk, but he seemed to be acting differently. He didn't appear to have his confident frame or his charismatic simper. Kurapika examined him thoroughly, trying to figure out his approach. The fancier began to decompose under his stare, shifting nervously. "I mean, I get it if..."

Kurapika hummed to himself quietly, finally understanding and watched the man fumble around a little while longer.

"It's fine," Kurapika said quickly, well caught up in the game now. He stood close next to the man and began to walk with him, staring straight ahead. "What's your name again?"

"Leorio," he coughed.

"Leorio," Kurapika played with the name, then was silent for a few beats. "What difference is there in me when I'm not standing behind a counter?"

"W-What do you mean?" they could both see the bus sign ahead.

"I mean," Kurapika couldn't help but be smug, "this isn't the Leorio I've known for the past few months," he mused causally. "You didn't assume I just _lived_ at the library, did you?"

"Ah, well..." Leorio couldn't seem to finish his sentence. The two stood at the bus stop uncomfortably, with a few people cramped at the edge of the sidewalk. Kurapika couldn't say he didn't feel awkward, standing next to his blatantly obvious love interest, but the whole ordeal rustled his curiosity more than anything. When the bus came to a keening halt, Kurapika almost lost Leorio in the bunch. He looked like he was trying to find a seat far away from him, but ended up standing by a pole, and Kurapika taking a seat next to a sleeping old woman.

There was no conversation. Kurapika watched load after load drop off and pick up, and Leorio didn't budge for any of them. Kurapika could sense he was glancing at him occasionally, stiff as a board. _Now_ Kurapika was beginning to feel the very uneasy tension.

"I'm 19," Leorio blurted.

Kurapika stared at him. "Pardon?" he tried to not wake the woman.

"I'm 19--I'm not..." he began to fluster, grunting with frustration, "I'm not a creepy old guy, okay?" He then marched from his pole when the bus had stopped again.

Against Leorio's luck, it also happened to be Kurapika's stop, and he wasn't going to wait just because it would be a nightmare for the other.

It seemed to be only a short shower. The clouds still hung over the sky but Kurapika felt no rain on his head. He jogged up to Leorio, who had very big legs and could walk very fast. "I'm not angry," Kurapika huffed.

"I know, my appearance can be somewhat misleading," Leorio wasn't actually listening to him. He looked right in front of himself, face contorted and pink.

"That's not what I'm talking about," Kurapika almost wanted to tug on him to slow him down. "I'm not angry at--" Leorio finally began to slow down, tiring himself out, making it much easier for Kurapika to keep up, "--I'm not angry at you for making a complete fool of yourself at the library." Kurapika did admit he assumed some things, like Leorio's age and intention.

They both stopped at a crosswalk, Leorio tapping his foot insanely.

"That's not really you, is it?" Kurapika panted.

"Of course it is," Leorio sneered, refusing to look Kurapika's way, instead focusing on the pedestrian light, "everything I do is me expressing myself. It's just," his face turned a darker shade of pink, " _harder._ "

Kurapika wasn't sure what he meant. "Harder?"

He heard the man take in a deep, dramatic breath, "harder to be around you! When there's not a counter between us!"

Kurapika was a bit surprised at the intensity of his answer. A few people began to stare, and Leorio looked strikingly different compared to everyone else. Perspiring, flushed, and nearly _shaking_. Had Kurapika gone too far?

After a few seconds, Leorio stormed down the walkway. Kurapika decided to let him go. He watched him disappear around a corner, and despite how pitifully funny it was to watch, Kurapika felt his hands tingle and his cheeks burn. This "crush" had obviously been developing ever since Leorio walked into the library on his first day. Kurapika resolved that he could find another way home, and went another direction.  


End file.
